Index container



June 26, 1934. c. A. FINLEY INDEX CONTAINER 3 vSheezs-Sheet 1 Filed June 10. 1931 grt/vento@ June 26, 1934. c. A. FlNLr-:Y 1,954,345

INDEX CONTAINER Filed June 1o. 1931 s sheets-sheet 2 Mv@ y a /7 3mm ChlarleoA.Fin1e9 QWMM- MMWHIHWHW- June 26, 1934- c. A. FINLEY 1,964,346

INDEX CONTAINER Filed June 10. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES INDEX CONTAINER Charles A. Finley, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Bualo, N. Y.

Application June 10, 1931, Serial No. 543,468

30 Claims.

This invention relates to trays, slides or like devices adapted to support or contain index cards, card holders or other record-bearing devices. More particularly, the invention relates 5 to devices of the general type disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 1,569,575 to J. l-I. Rand, Jr. et al.

The record-bearing members, as the index cards, card holders or other record-bearing devices will hereinafter be referred to, sometimes comprise sheets having index indicia along one edge thereof and a holder strip extending along the lower face at the opposite edge thereof, the holder extending beyond the side edges of the member to provide flaps or tongues for engagement with the container. The members are preferably arranged in overlapped offset relation with their holder portions inserted between the holder strips and bodies of adjacent members so that the index edge of each is Visible.

The trays or supports for the members have heretofore been provided with body portions, on which the record-bearing members are adapted to rest, and side flanges or parts adapted to engage the flaps or ears of the members when the latter are in their overlapping, nested relationship and means have been provided for engaging the front and rear edges respectively of the front and rear holder portions of the members to prevent them from sliding or shifting longitudinally in the container. Means have also been provided heretofore for adjusting the front stop means in order to allow additional members to be placed in, or to be removed from, the trays, the rear stop usually being rigid with the tray.

It has been found that in devices of this type, the record bearing members may be forcibly jammed together in nested relation, due to the momentum of the cards, when the container is moved to its closed position with excessive force, and, also, due to the inertia of the cards when the container is opened with excessive force, the rear member during these movements being jammed tightly against the rear stop member. r This may result in mutilation of the members and in the jamming of them so that the total length of the series is materially reduced, necessitating the addition of other record rbearing members from time to time in order to maintain the tray completely filled.

The present invention contemplates means whereby the record-bearing members will be retained in the trays in their normal offset relation without likelihood of mutilation of them or 55 jamming of the tray during the use thereof, the

latter being the result of the cards building up by reason of jamming action.

These and other objects and advantages, including those arising from the provision of novel means for supporting an index strip at the for- G3 ward edge of the container and from the details of construction, will become apparent from a perusal of the following description of one typical embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cabinet for supporting a plurality of the containers or trays hereinbefore referred to, a portion of the device being broken away to show one of the trays and the contents thereof diagrammatically in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly broken away of one of the containers, parts thereof appearing in section;

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal vertical sectional views of the front and rear portions of a tray respectively;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the front portion of a container, one of the parts thereof being 8G shown in disassembled relationship; and

Fig. 6 is a disassembled view of the parts of the resilient back stop means.

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, a cabinet 10 is provided With trackways 11 for supporting tray units 12 for sliding movement between open and closed position. Each tray unit preferably comprises a channelled body 13 the web of which comprises the floor or bottom of the container and the upwardly extending flanges 14 of which provide the side Walls of the container. The flanges 14 terminate in inwardly and then downwardly directed portions 15, which may serve to receive tongues or ears extended laterally from the record-bearing members 16. The front wall of the container is formed by a plate 20 secured to the web 13 and having an upwardly extending front wall portion 17, terminating in a rearwardly extending portion 18 and a downwardly extending portion 19. Rearwardly extending lugs 21 are formed at the side edges of the wall portion 17 for seeurement to the flanges 14 of the tray body.

A front cover plate 22 is provided with an angular front terminal portion 23 for engagement beneath the flange portions 18, 19 of the front Wall, and downwardly extending flanges 24 with forwardly pressed portions 25 for disposition adjacent the front Wall 17 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. At the side edges of the flanges 24 are provided upwardly extending lugs 25' for engagement within the channel formed by the members 17, 18, 19 and other lugs 26 for engagement with the front wall 17. Downwardly extending flanges 27 are formed on the front cover plate 22 for engagement with the forward portions of the body iianges and terminate in horizontally disposed tongues 28 for attachment to the web 13 of the body. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the plate may be cut away in a central notch to provide space for securing to the web 13 a tongue portion of a handle 29, which eX- tends beyond the forward wall of the container.

These parts complete the rigid front portions of the container and serve to support a movable front stop 31, the latter comprising a plate with a spacing rib 30 engaging the web 13 and having laterally extended lugs 31' at its rear for engagement under the flanges 15 of the body. A handle extension 32 projecting through an opening 33 in the front wall 17 is attached by a tubular rivet to plate 31, openings being formed, as shown in Fig. 3, through the cover 22 and the web 13 to permit of the riveting operation after assembly of the rigid front parts. Handle extension 32 has the rear end portion notched at opposite sides to receive flanges 32 struck out of plate 31 and bent downwardly for cooperating with the rivet in retaining the handle and plate in assembled relation. Above the opening 33 is a cam stop 34 for engaging a detent 35 of the member 32 when the latter is in its rearmost portion. The member 32 has a downwardly extending portion 36 for receiving a bight portion of a loop spring 37 which engages in loops 38 struck out of the web 13. The spring 37 is compressed in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and urges the handle member 32 and stop plate 31 forwardly and upwardly, thus holding the detent in engagement with the cam stop 34 in the rearmost position of the plate, and upon a downward movement of the handle 32, which releases the detent 35, moving the plate 31 forwardly, allowing space at the forward end of the container for the insertion of additional recordbearing members or the removal of members already positioned.

As may be noted in Fig. 2, the upper edge of the flange 24 of the forward cover slopes rearwardly and is spaced from the depending portion 19 of the front wall 17 to permit of the insertion of index strips between the forwardly pressed portions 25 and the wall 17, which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, is provided with indexviewing openings 39. The index strips, inserted in this manner, will have no tendency to become displaced since they are constantly held in position by gravity and by frictional engagement with the portions 25 and 17.

At the rear of the tray, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, is a vertically extending retainer member 4l with an upper forwardly extended flange 42 and a lower forwardly extended ange 43 for it being understood that, when the container 12 is moved forwardly to cause the catch 47 to engage the stop, that the tray 13 and its contents may be swung downwardly about Vthe axis of the hinge pin to facilitate an examination, removal or replacement of the record-bearing members.

A rear base plate 49 overlies the rear portion of the member 13 and the ange 43 of the rear retainer member, having a downwardly offset forward edge 51 supported by a raised portion 52 of the member 13 and secured thereto by a tubular rivet 53. The edge portion 51 has laterally extending lugs for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The rear edge portion 54 of the plate 49 extends upwardly abutting the retainer member 41 and at its central portion inclines forwardly. it will be noted that the flange 43 of the retainer member is raised, as indicated at 55 in Fig. 4, into abutment with a rearward portion of the plate 49. The latter is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 56 which receive the depending end portions 57 of a generally arcuate spring 58, the terminal portions of the spring being bent outwardly to prevent displacement of the portions 57 from the slots. The medial portion of the spring seats at the juncture of the ange 54 and the body of the plate 49 and the spring thus provides a resilient backing for the rear stop member 59, which is slidable over the upper surface of the base plate 49, having a depending front portion 61 for engagement with the web 13. As shown in Figs.

2 and 6, the slots diverge rearwardly to accommodate the increased length of the spring when compressed. From its points of abutment with the portions 57 of the spring, the plate 49 extends forwardly and upwardly as indicated at 62, and thence extends rearwardly and substantially hori- Zontally to a point substantially in alignment with the iiange 4l, where it is provided with hinge loops 64.

A cover plate 65, having a forwardly depending rounded flange 66 is pivoted by means of a pin 67 to the loops 64 of the back stop member, the rear cover plate being supported by the stop member at points adjacent the juncture of the horizontal portion 63 and the forwardly and upwardly extending portion 62. The cover plate 65 may be provided with raised ribs 63 for slidably engaging the upper trackway of the cabinet l0 when the container is in closed position and when the container is in open position may be swung upwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 6 about the axis of the hinge pin 67, to provide access to the rear record-bearing members supported by the tray.

The stop plate 59 has lateral return bent-portions for engaging about and beneath the side edges of the base plate 49, and is free to slide thereon between a forward position in which the portions 60 abut the lugs 50 of the plate 49 and a rearward position in which the spring 58 is completely compressed. The stop plate 59, base plate 49, and cover plate may be assembled as a unit and be subsequently attached as a unit to the tray by applying the rivet 53 through an aperture 69 of the stop plate aligned with the rivet opening.

In operation it will be understood that the record-bearing members 16 may be positioned in overlapping and offset relation within the tray, as indicated in Fig. 1, the rear edge of the rear member engaging the portion of the back stop adjacent the juncture of the portion 62 and 59 thereof and the members being nested one within the other so that each member overlaps the adjacent forward member. The last member to be inserted or the forward member is held under the rearward portion of the front stop plate 31 and abuts the depending rib thereof. In order to insert such last member it will be understood that theV handle 32 may be depressed to allow the stop plate 31 to be moved forwardly by the spring 37, whereupon the members 16 will be free to slide longitudinally of the tray, and that, after the insertion of the members 16, the handle may be pressed inwardly to allow the detent 35 to engage the cam stop 34 on the forward wall of the container, thus holding the members against displacement.

When the drawer is violently withdrawn from the position shown in Fig. 1, the inertia of the record members may urge them to move rearwardly relatively to the container and such movement will be yieldingly resisted by the back stop member, the spring 57 being slightly compressed during such movement, so that the members will not be unduly jammed together. Likewise, when the tray is closed to cause the tail piece 46 to abut the rear of the cabinet, the momentum of the members 16 may tend to cause them to be urged rearwardly relative to the container, at which time the spring 57 will again be slightly compressed to absorb the forces of impact and to thus prevent undue jamming of the members.

It will be understood that the specic embodiment herein described is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, which may be utilized in otherY devices, having different structural characteristics, within the scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. Resilient back stop means for a record device, comprlsing a retaining member, a stop member slidable on said retaining member, means for limiting the movement or" the stop member relative to the retaining member, and a spring disposed between the stop member and the retaining member for normally urging the stop member against said limiting means.

2. In a record device, a tray and resilient movable back stop means therefor, comprising a plate and a fastener for securing it to the tray, a stop member overlying and mounted on the plate for limited sliding movement longitudinally of the tray, and spring means associated wlth the plate and stop member for urging the latter toward the front of the tray, said stop member having an aperture therethrough in alignment with the fastener, whereby the plate may be secured to the tray after being assembled with the stop member.

3. In a record tray, bottom and front walls, the front wall having an aperture therein, a cover for the front of the tray attached to the front wall, said cover having a depending ange substantially paralleling said front wall and spaced therefrom at the upper edge thereof over the aperture, whereby an upwardly opening pocket is provided for receiving an index member..

4. In a record tray, bottom and front walls, a cover secured to said walls, a stop member for record-bearing members mounted for longitudinal movement between the cover and bottom, and a member for moving the stop member secured to the stop member at a point beneath said cover, the latter having an aperture aligned with said point, whereby the stop member and the member for moving it may be secured after assembly of the cover and tray.

5. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the front wall having an aperture therethrough and terminating at its upper edge in a rearwardly and thence downwardly extendng flange, a cover member adjacent the front Wall and having a depending flange adjacent the aperture and substantially paralleling the iront wall, the depending flange being spaced at its upper edge from the rearwardly and downwardly extending flange to provide an opening for inserting index means between the apertured front wall and the depending flange, said cover having front portions nested within the rearwardly and downwardly extending flange and havjng lateral depending flanges engaging the bottom wall.

6. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the front wall terminating at its upper edge in a rearwardly and thence downwardly extending flange, the side walls terminating in inwardly and thence downwardly extending anges, a cover plate forthe tray having a front flange received beneath the flange of the front wall and lugs at its front side edges, said lugs engaging between the front wall and the llange of the front wall and engaging the downwardly extending portons of the side wall flanges, and said cover plate having depending side anges disposed adjacent the downwardly extending portions oi the side walls and terminating in horizontal tongues secured to the botto n wall.

'7. In a record tray, bottom and front walls, a stop member movable over the bottom wall toward and away from the front wall, said front wall having an aperture and the stop member including an extension passing through the aperture, a stop on the front wall above the aperture and a detent on the stop member engageable with the stop member to retain the cover in rearward position, and spring means for Lu'ging the stop member in upward and outward directions, whereby the detent is normally held engaged with the stop and whereby upon downward movement of the extension the detent will disengage the stop to allow the spring means to urge the stop member to its forward position.

8. In a record tray, bottom and front walls, a stop member movable over the bottom wall toward and away from the front wall, said front wall having an aperture and the stop member includ'ng an extension passing through the aperture, a stop on the front wall above the aperture and a detent on the stop member engageable with the stop to retain the cover in rearward position, a loop spring having its ends disposed rearwardly of and below the bight portion thereof, said ends being connected to the bottom wall, and the stop member having means engaging the bight portion of the spring, whereby the latter will urge the stop member upwardly to retain the detent in engagement with the stop, and upon release of the detent from the stop null iuge the stop member forwardly.

9. In a record tray having a bottom, resilient stop means dsposed at the rear of said bottom, said stop means comprising a base plate, a stop plate secured in superimposed relation upon the base plate for limited movement thereon longitudinally of the tray, and means associated with the base plate and stop plate for urging the latter forwardly, the stop plate having an aperture therethrough whereby the base plate may be attached to the tray bottom after assembly of the stop means.

10. In a record tray, a resilient stop unit at the rear of the tray, comprising a base plate and lll() a stop plate superimposed thereon, means associated with the plates for guiding the stop plate for limited movement upon the base plate forwardly and rearwardly of the tray, and a spring associated with the plates for normally retaining the stop plate in forward position.

11. In a resilient stop unit for record devices, a base plate having an upstanding flange at the 'ear edge thereof and laterally extending lugs at the front thereof, a stop plate disposed above the base plate and having side flanges engaging about the side edges of the base plate, whereby the stop plate may have a limited sliding movement upon the base plate, said base plate having a pair` of spaced longitudinally extending slots, a spring having vertical end portions engaged in said slots and abutting a rear portion of the stop plate, and the medial portion of said spring engaging the upstanding flange of the base plate, whereby the spring will normally urge the stop plate forwardly to cause the side flanges thereof to abut the lugs of the base plate.

l2. A back stop for record trays, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, and resilient means actuating said members normally retaining them at one limit of relative movement, one member being formed for attachment to a tray and the other member being formed to resiliently abut the end one of a series of record members in the tray.

13. A back stop for record trays, comprising a pair of plate members slidable relative to each other, and resilient means normally retaining said members at one limit of relative movement, one member being attached to a tray and the other member resiliently engaging the end one of a series of record members in said tray.

14. A back stop for record trays, comprising a pair of slidably interconnected plate members, and resilient means normally operating said members for relative movement in one direction, one member being connected to a tray and the other member providing a resiliently actuated stop abutting the end of a series of record members in said tray.

15. 1n a visible card index structure, the combination of a tray, a back stop member mounted in the rear end of said tray for limited sliding movement, resilient means projecting said member to the forward limit of movement in the tray, and a front stop member slidably mounted in the tray and releasably retained in one position in the front end of said tray, said front stop adapted to engage the forward end of a series of record members in said tray and releasably hold said record members engaged with said back stop under tension, said back stop forming a resilient cushioning support for said record members in said tray for absorbing relative movement of said record members in the tray in the operation thereof.

1E. 1n a visible card index structure, the combination of a tray, a back stop member formed of a pair of slidably connected relatively movable members, resilient means normally retaining said members at one limit of movement, one of said members being secured to the rear end portion of said tray, the other member adapted to resliently engage one end of a series of record members in said tray, and a front stop member slidably mounted in the tray and engaging the other end of said record members and adapted to be releasably secured in a position to retain the resilient connection of said back stop members under tension through said record members,

whereby said record members are resiliently held in engagement, and movement relative to the tray is cushioned by said back stop.

17. A back stop for record trays, comprising a pair of superposed interengaged plate members slidable one on' the other in edgewise relation and having opposed laterally extending abutments, and a resilient member engaged between said abutments normally retaining said plate members at one limit of relative movement.

18. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a pair of plate members formed to slidably interengage and having opposed abutments, and a spring member having the central portion engaging one abutment and the end portions engaging the other abutment and resiliently urging said members toward one limit of relative sliding movement.

19. A back. stop for index record trays, comprising a stationary member, a movable back stop member slidably superposed thereon, having return bent portions on the side edges embracing said stationary member and cooperating in limiting movement of said back stop member on said stationary member, and a resilient member engaging bot-h said stationary and back stop members for normally moving said back stop member toward one limit of sliding movement relative to said stationary member.

20. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a stationary plate member, and a movable plate member overlying said stationary plate member and slidable thereon, means for securing said stationary plate member toy a tray, an opening formed in said movable plate member overlying said securing means in one position to facilitate the insertion and xing of the securing means, and resilient means engaging said plate members for normally retaining said movable plate member at one limit of movement relative to said stationary plate member.

2l. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a stationary plate member, a movable plate member overlying said stationary plate member, one of said plate members having guide flanges thereon slidably embracing the other member to provide for limited relative sliding movement of the movable plate member on the stationary plate member, a lateral projection on said stationary plate member forming an abutment, and a laterally extending portion on said movable plate member forming an abutment, and spring means interposed between said abutments for normally sliding said movable plate member in one direction and cushioning its movement in the oppposite direction.

22. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a pair of plate members in superposed surface contact for edgewise relative sliding movement of one of said members on the other and having laterally extending opposed abutments thereon, and resilient means between said abutments for moving said one member relatively to the other in one direction and cushioning relative movement thereof in an opposite direction.

23. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a back stop member, means securing the rear end portion of said member to a tray for limited cushioned movement thereon, and a hinged cover plate on said member movable therewith.

24. A back stop for index record trays, comprising a back stop member, a supporting member adapted to be mounted on a tray and carrying said back stop member for limited sliding movement, means for cushioning the movement of said back stop and a hinged cover plate on said back stop member movable therewith.

25. In a visible index construction, wherein a tray is slidable-into and out of a cabinet and carries a plurality of overlapping offset record members having visible exposed marginal portions for indexing, and said record members are slidable longitudinally in said tray and detachably retained therein, the combination of a back stop member having a cushioned movable mounting in the rear end or" said tray and engaging the rear record member in the tray, and a iront stop member in said tray normally operable to hold said record members with the rear one in engagement with said cushioned back stop member, whereby relative longitudinal movement of said record members in said tray in the opening and closing movements of said tray in the cabinet is controlled and cushioned by said back stop member.

26. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the front wall having an aperture, a cover member on said tray, a stop member for recordbearing members mounted for longitudinal movement between said cover and bottom, a member for moving the stop member extending through the aperture in said front wall, means for securing said last-named member to the stop member, and positioning means providing a predetermined position of assembly between said stop member and last-named member and retaining said members in said position in cooperation with said securing means.

27. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the iront wall having an aperture, a cover member on said tray, a stop member for recordbearing members mounted for longitudinal movement between said cover and bottom, and an operating member for moving said stop member extending through the opening in said front wall and connected to said stop member between said cover and bottom.

28. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the front wall having an aperture, a cover member on said tray, a stop member for recordbearing members mounted for longitudinal movement between said cover and bottom, an operating member for moving said stop member extending through the opening in said front wall and secured at one end to said stop mem. er, resilient means engaged with said operating member and tray for normally moving said operating member outwardly through said opening and moving said stop member to an inoperative position, and disengageable means for latching said stop and operating members with said stop member in operative position.

29. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, the front wall having an aperture, a cover member on said tray, a stop member for recordbearing members mounted for longitudinal movement between said cover and bottom, an operating member for moving said stop member extending through the opening in said front wall and secured at one end to said stop member, resilient means between said cover and bottom for moving said stop member and operating member in one direction, and latch means for retaining said stop and operating members in an adjusted position against operation by said resilient means.

30. In a record tray, bottom, front and side walls, and a cover member formed of sheet-metal having a body section, laterally extending anges on opposite ends of said body section, said flanges having inwardly extending tongues secured to said bottom, a front terminal portion extending from the middle of said body section engaged with said front, and laterally extending flanges on the front edge of said body section at the sides of said terminal portion.

CHARLES A. FINLEY. 

